M6:2432 — بعد از آن دیدم که که سه شاخ شد / چونک نور حق درو نفاخ شد

Translation: Then I saw that it became three branches, / When the Light of Truth breathed into it. Meaning: This verse depicts a pivotal moment in a Jewish traveler's dream, where, following Moses to Mount Sinai, he witnesses a profound divine effulgence that transforms the mountain, causing it to split into three parts.

This verse portrays an unparalleled moment from the profound and enigmatic dream of a Jewish traveler, a narrative found in Book 6 of the Masnavi. I have no doubt that Rumi, much like in the story of Daquqi in Book 3, imbues this account with his own deep mystical experiences. He becomes so immersed in this narration that he transcends the mere framework of the story, delving into the exposition of his personal unveilings or those of fellow mystics.

The central image of the verse is Mount Sinai (Tur), which, after the three (the Jewish traveler, Moses, and the mountain itself) reach the pinnacle of manifestation, becomes invisible due to the effulgence. Then, in this verse, this very mountain becomes 'three-branched' (seh shākh shod) 'when the Light of Truth breathed into it' (chonke nūr-e ḥaqq daru naffākh shod). Naffākh means 'blower' or 'inflater'; it implies that the divine light, the sacred breath, the Lordly spirit, was breathed into the mountain's substance, transforming it. This manifestation of divine light is not an ordinary phenomenon. The awe (haybat-e ḥaqq) and glory (jalāl-e ḥaqq) of God descend upon the mountain as a theophany (tajallī), causing it to 'shatter and scatter in all directions' (mī-sekast az ham hamīn shod sū-be-sū).

I have previously noted that revelation (waḥy) is not always verbal. Sometimes, revelation is a tajallī— an illumination, a wordless light that directly commands and forbids. The Light of Truth here is revelation; it is a 'weighty word' (qawlan thaqīlan) as described in the Qur'an (Sura Al-Muzzammil), whose weight is such that it shatters the resistance of any being, even dividing a solid mountain. This is the same bewildering and consciousness-erasing process that occurs upon confronting absolute Truth.

Intriguingly, these three branches each exhibit a different effect: one branch moves towards the sea and sweetens its bitter waters; another descends into the earth and brings forth a healing spring; and the third flies towards Arafat (near the Kaaba), where Rumi offers no definitive interpretation, but it can be seen as a prelude to another manifestation. This diversity of impact signifies the various facets of blessings and guidance emanating from a singular source of light.

Rumi subsequently links this dream to the Qur'anic verse 'And Moses fell down unconscious' (wa kharra Mūsā ṣaʿiqan) and makes the subtle point that, according to the Torah, the mountain did not physically disappear; rather, it was an inner, visionary experience for Moses to see the mountain pulverized and effaced. This narrative powerfully demonstrates how visionary experiences, while internal and personal, can nonetheless lead to objective, external effects and multiply the certainty of the seeker a hundredfold— akin to the stories of healing where saints appear. Through this dream, Rumi not only portrays the zenith of mystical experience but also implicitly introduces the concept of pluralism of salvation, as a Jewish individual is shown to be capable of such sublime spiritual experiences.

Key takeaways

• Rumi channels his own profound mystical experiences into this dream narrative, using it as a vehicle for his personal spiritual unveilings.
• The 'Light of Truth' functions as a wordless revelation, a divine manifestation that communicates truth beyond the confines of conventional language.
• Divine manifestation is so immense and a 'weighty word' (Qur'an 73:5) that it can profoundly alter material reality, even splitting a steadfast mountain into multiple parts.
• The mountain's three branches symbolize the diverse blessings and guiding effects emanating from the singular source of divine light.
• By presenting such an experience to a Jewish character, Rumi implicitly suggests a pluralism of salvation, indicating that the experience of truth transcends outward religious boundaries.
• The contrasting accounts of Mount Sinai in the Qur'an and Torah highlight the internal, visionary dimension of spiritual experiences, which may not manifest literally in the external world but nonetheless produce objective effects.